I have heard many positive comments about Singapore Airlines’ newest economy class product since it was launched in 2013. The new product has so far been limited to their newer B777-300ERs, and a small number of retrofitted older B777-300ERs. SQ’s London-Singapore route was served four times daily by the A380s and the B777-300ERs with the new cabin product. This has now been changed to 3 A380s and 1 B777-300ER per day. So when I had to make a trip to London earlier this year, I made sure I had at least one sector on the new cabin product. My Uber ride picked me from my hotel at 6.30am in the morning and I arrived at Terminal 2 in less than an hour. Thanks to the smooth traffic, I now had more than 2 hours to spare before my 9.25am departure. Terminal 2, also known as the Queen’s terminal, is a very pleasant terminal with plenty of F&B and shopping outlets to keep one occupied. Spotting enthusiasts will also enjoy the expansive views of the tarmac at both the main and satellite terminals.
Entrance to the departure hall
Self service check-in and bag drop. Very intuitive and easy to use, sparing passengers from long queues at check-in. I wish more airports around the world offered this instead of traditional counters manned by disinterested agents.
Cleared security in less than 10 min. It helps to choose who you queue behind in a security line. Avoid joining the queue behind parents with young kids, certain passenger profiles who tend to travel with way too much hand carry items, and last of all, passengers who look completely lost. Lots of natural light and seating areas in the main terminal.
Entrance to the B concourse, and the 10 min trek across.
Excellent close up views of the early morning long haul arrivals from Asia from the B concourse.
9V-SNC, the newest B777-300ER in the SQ fleet will fly me home. Catering and cargo loading in progress as this brand new beauty glistens in the morning sun.
The load on this morning’s flight was extremely light. Almost every passenger in the last Y cabin had 3 seats to themselves. I moved myself to an empty row by the window. First, let’s take a look at the much touted new cabin product. Very comfortable seats with excellent recline. One of the best, if not the best economy class seat I’ve ever sat on.
Small slim IFE box under the seat that doesn't eat into your leg space.
Seat pocket contents.
Touch screen IFE and controller. The latest aircraft comes with the new Voyager 3D maps. It was interesting at first, but after a couple of minutes going through the various maps, I got a little bored with it. I found the whole thing a little gimmicky, and doesn’t contribute much to my onboard experience. Young kids will probably find this feature more entertaining.
The new cabin retains the personal reading light feature that I find absolutely brilliant. No other airline currently has this feature, and I suspect it is because SQ owns the patent for this?
Push back was on the dot and this is the first time I am seeing a concord live! I’ve never caught sight of it on my previous flights out of LHR.
Hot towels were handed out before takeoff, while menus and amenity kits were distributed after takeoff, followed by an assortment of drinks served from a tray. It was another 2 hours or more before lunch would be served, so I could not understand why a full bar service was not offered after takeoff.
Lunch was served at noon. I opted for the braised pork and requested for a Citrus Delight to go with my meal. Citrus Delight is a mocktail served on SQ and is essentially a mix of orange juice and tonic water. As a regular on SQ, I was certain OJ and tonic water are readily available in every meal cart. The crew serving my aisle must have been unfamiliar with the particular mocktail and said that it needed to be prepared in the galley. Sensing her reluctance, I asked for a pineapple juice instead. The pork was a tad salty but overall satisfying and filling.
Ice cream was served after the crew had distributed the meals.
Turbulence struck at the end of the lunch service as the crew were about to clear our trays. SQ’s standard procedure is to suspend hot beverage service in the event of air turbulence. Coffee and tea service was completely omitted for this lunch service even after the seat belt signs were switched off as by then, half of the crew had retired to their crew bunks, leaving only 1 crew to man each Y class galley.
I love the fact that SQ offers a wide variety of cold snacks on long haul flights. I know for a fact that instant noodles are also uplifted on the LHR-SIN sector, but quantities are limited in Y class (as was the case on this particular flight) and are particularly well loved by the crew after their rest break. So if you want something hot and soupy in the middle of the flight, tough luck. Then again, the cold snacks on offer are more than enough to fill you up between meals.
Cabin lights were dimmed as passengers and crew prepared to settle in for the long flight…
Mood lighting. Hot towels were handed out prior to breakfast service.
Breakfast was served 2.5h before arrival into Singapore. I chose the poached eggs and it was one of the best, albeit greasy, breakfast I’ve had on SQ. The eggs were warm and runny, just the way I like them. Coffee and tea were served this time round.
Freshen up before arrival. Lavatories were kept spotlessly clean throughout the flight.
Final approach into Singapore Changi Airport…
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Verdict
Singapore Airlines
8.1/10
Cabin9.0
Cabin crew7.0
Entertainment/wifi7.0
Meal/catering9.5
London - LHR
8.4/10
Efficiency9.0
Access7.5
Services8.0
Cleanliness9.0
Singapore - SIN
9.5/10
Efficiency10.0
Access10.0
Services8.5
Cleanliness9.5
Conclusion
SQ's latest Y cabin product is one of, if not the best product in the sky today. The level of comfort experienced was further exacerbated by the fact that I had the entire row of seats to myself.
I rated the SQ crew on this flight a 7, which is not usual for SQ. This is not to say that they were bad, in fact they were very good if compared to many other airlines. But by SQ's standards, they were mediocre. I would have expected a more personal touch, and greater cabin presence on such a lightly loaded flight (there were less than 20 passengers in my Y cabin). I found it odd that the crew seemed to be in a rush to complete the lunch service on a day time flight of 12.5h. I don't think any passenger was in a rush to go to bed!
The only other airlines I have flown this year are Emirates and Garuda, and I have to say that SQ crew still comes up top, with Garuda a close second. Emirates crew trails far behind in terms of deportment and friendliness...not to mention their awful 3 x 4 x 3 seating in their 777s!
The poor rating for SQ's entertainment was mainly for the extremely poor quality ear phones they provide in Y. In terms of entertainment choices, SQ offers more than enough for a 13 hour flight, but nothing quite beats Emirates' ICE and the edgy selections on Qantas.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it.
5 LIKESLIKE TO THANK THE AUTHORTHANKS ! FLIGHT-REPORT LIKED
Thank you for sharing this enjoyable FR about SQ's longhaul Y product with great pictures.
Three things that caught my attention about this cabin are the large IFE screens, the footrest and the little entertainment box that is discreetly tucked under the seat leaving a decent amount of space for the occupant. This in my opinion shows that the airline took into account the well being of its passengers in creating this cabin. The nice printed menu and the amenity kit are extras that are appreciated in this day and age of cost cutting amenities.
Meals are well presented and the snacks are generous. It's impressive to get "running" eggs aboard, especially in Y - such a treat.
Your report validates SQ's product as one of the top ones in the world. Too bad that the crew was not up to your expectations, but I'm sure that it is still pretty good compared to its competitors.
Thanks Jetsetpanda. Glad your enjoyed this FR. You rightly point out that SQ doesn't neglect its Y class passengers, and while there is a distinct difference between its Y and premium class offering, a lot of thought went into the design of its cabins.
SQ's crew go through one of the longest training programmes in the industry - approx 16 weeks. So they are naturally better than many airlines. I was told by an EK crew that her training was only 5 weeks. My expectations of SQ service are very high, so any deviation from the standard service procedures becomes very obvious and jarring.
It's really great that SQ hasn't gone with the 10 per row Y seats with their new 777 aircraft. Increasing number of Asian carriers are jumping onto that bandwagon, even EVA and China airlines are going that route. Skytrax should start rating aircraft based on seat comfort as well and denounce airlines that sacrifices them. I generally would avoid at all lengths on traveling with airlines that has a 10 abreast seating on a 777.
Great review nevertheless, SQ is still among the best airlines to fly in Y, if not the best.
Jw19, I certainly hope SQ doesn't succumb to 10 across on their 77Ws. I have flown that on EK, and the narrowness was very obvious even though I had an empty seat next to me. I can't imagine how it would be like on a full flight!
SQ do have an outstanding product, surely the best Y in the sky! The little snacks do go a really long way, and I'm glad SQ think about these little things.
I do believe Jet Airways of India have the tiny lamp underneath the IFE screens, if I remember correctly...
Great report! Looks like you had a great flight with SQ in Economy. The food looks very good, especially the Poached Eggs ... SQ sure beats any other airline with their Economy breakfasts I think!
Hey 757fan, I can only say the caterers in LHR are better than the ones in SIN for certain dishes. I had tried SQ's poached eggs in Y ex-SIN, and it was literally hard boiled!
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9 Comments
Three things that caught my attention about this cabin are the large IFE screens, the footrest and the little entertainment box that is discreetly tucked under the seat leaving a decent amount of space for the occupant. This in my opinion shows that the airline took into account the well being of its passengers in creating this cabin. The nice printed menu and the amenity kit are extras that are appreciated in this day and age of cost cutting amenities.
Meals are well presented and the snacks are generous. It's impressive to get "running" eggs aboard, especially in Y - such a treat.
Your report validates SQ's product as one of the top ones in the world. Too bad that the crew was not up to your expectations, but I'm sure that it is still pretty good compared to its competitors.
You rightly point out that SQ doesn't neglect its Y class passengers, and while there is a distinct difference between its Y and premium class offering, a lot of thought went into the design of its cabins.
SQ's crew go through one of the longest training programmes in the industry - approx 16 weeks. So they are naturally better than many airlines. I was told by an EK crew that her training was only 5 weeks. My expectations of SQ service are very high, so any deviation from the standard service procedures becomes very obvious and jarring.
Great review nevertheless, SQ is still among the best airlines to fly in Y, if not the best.
SQ do have an outstanding product, surely the best Y in the sky! The little snacks do go a really long way, and I'm glad SQ think about these little things.
I do believe Jet Airways of India have the tiny lamp underneath the IFE screens, if I remember correctly...
Cheers!
Thanks for sharing.
The quality of the photos is just amazing. What camera did you use if you don't mind? Thanks.
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